Boxing Helena (1993)

"Boxing Helena" follows a wealthy surgeon (Julian Sands) with mommy issues who saves his female neighbor, Helena, whom he's obsessed with, after she is hit by a car in front of his house. After amputating her legs, he goes a step further and turns her into a living Venus de Milo and holds her captive in his home.This film has a notoriously bad reputation, and my natural thought prior to seeing the film was "there's no way it's that bad." I was kind of wrong. It is pretty dreadful in a lot of ways. The film was directed by Jennifer Lynch, daughter of David Lynch, who wrote the script for the film when she was nineteen. It is not a bad concept by any means; it's a clear-cut meditation on obsession and power, with shades of Samuel Richardson's "Clarissa," as well as further commentary on male sexuality and the female body.It sounds fascinating, doesn't it? It unfortunately really isn't. The problem with the film lay wholly in its execution, which is amateurish, Lifetime TV-movie-of-the-week status, even by early '90s standards. Unbelievable dialogue doesn't help matters, and the film plods for much of its duration, lacking the sufficient writing necessary to really carry it. The actors here try their best, but even in spite of decent performances, they mostly become voiceboxes that showcase the script's weakness. Julian Sands and Sherilyn Fenn are both great actors and actually have some chemistry on screen, but again, the dialogue renders their performances mostly unconvincing. Bill Paxton, Kurtwood Smith, and Art Garfunkel are also along for the ride here in supporting roles which, again (mainly in Paxton's case), are melodramatic and really shed further light on the weakness of the script.The film wraps itself up just as uneventfully as it opens, and left me feeling like I'd just witnessed a massive lost opportunity; a solid concept spoiled by feigned pathos, weak dialogue, and amateurish cinematography. Sands and Fenn are the highlights here, but even they can only do so much. It's worth watching for the camp factor, which is where the film has ultimately found an audience. 4/10.

A surgeon (Julian Sands) becomes obsessed with the seductive woman (Sherilyn Fenn) he once was in an affair with. Refusing to accept that she has moved on, he amputates her limbs and holds her captive in his mansion.After receiving an NC-17 rating by the MPAA, the film was given an R-rating on appeal and released in the United States in September 1993, but received critical backlash and was a financial failure. Gene Siskel was one of the film's few defenders, writing, "I went to the theater to see it expecting the worst," and he called it, "a brave little movie that explored the provocative issue of how some frustrated men channel their inability to love a woman into cruelty." Genre fans might like it, because of the familiar faces -- Sands, Fenn and Bill Paxton. It does suffer from having no one really likable in the plot, and a few twists that may not sit well with some people.

Yes this is that notorious film, Kim Basinger, walked out on, and I'll be honest, I'm gratefully glad, otherwise we wouldn't of been graced with the magical and beautiful presence Sherilyn Fenn has. What happened to her? Skipping a release in Adelaide, my eyes were soon eating up her beauty, a few months later. This movie was penned by David Lynch's daughter, and learning that she was only nineteen when she wrote it, I must say wowed me. Some people will see this movie as just an excuse for actors to take their clothes off, I can tell you, it's much more than that. It's the story of such deep sexual obsession one surgeon (Julian Sands who pops up in a lot of these films, and other R ones, when he's not warlocking) has on this beauty, he spent one night with, he just can't let go. When this daring, live life to the full beauty, who I must admit, really is a b..ch, attends a party, Sands is hosting, she makes quite an impression, attracting the eye of many a crowd, including Sands's very hot wife, in one sense, it will have you thinking, "What an idiot?" but other scenes will make you think that too, as at times he becomes such a pathetic, sad, pitiable character. As Helena is going away the next day, in a rush to leave, the next day, she realizes she's lost her wallet that has been purposely misplaced, by the jealous angst Sands. This fracas leads to a tragedy with a twist. I use the term twist, so I don't spoil the illusion of the movie for viewers. The tragedy, involving a car, that's knocked her down, and taken her legs with it, leads to the heart of the story where Helena becomes a virtual prisoner in Sands's home, where for the rest of the movie, it's interplay between the two actors, you could knock a play into shape with. For jealous obsessive Sands, this has become his dream. But the interruption of Kurtwood Smith, as an older physician and colleague of Sands, kind of puts a damper on the situation. But the interesting plot of movie with some occasional hot scenes, keeps you absorbed, as here's a tale of a really deep, take no prisoners, obsession. How the accident really concluding, I must say, threw me for a six, the way it deceived us, was very smartly done. New talent, Lynch (where proved here, it runs in the family) has fashioned a really solid adult feature, that like, The Lover, Husbands and Lovers, even Lake Consequence, you shouldn't pass off as just an excuse for sex, or label it, "just a dirty movie", as this one definitely isn't. Fenns's natural spellbinding beauty, is worth the rental alone. Don't pass it off.

Personally i love the movie & for those lucky people that live in Atlanta or Georgia, Can see the Nick Cavanaugh Mansion which it states on here that it is Lullwater Road, Druid Hills which is wrong. The Correct Address is 3467 Castlegate DR,NW,Atlanta,GA. Sherilyn Fenn Looks Fantastic as Helena & in my opinion her best performance to date as i have seen 22 of her movies. Nick Cavanaugh is a Brilliant Atlanta Surgeon who seems to be Sexually Repressed, & one night meets the Sexy Helena & has a one night stand & falls in love with her & becomes Obsessed by her & everything she stands for. After the Death of his Mother Nick decides to keep the family mansion & throws a house warming party on the chance Helena will arrive & she does not caring for his hospitality. Once she has freshen up in his fountain she goes with one of Nicks Party Guests a fellow Surgeon for a one night stand & leaves her address book. She asks nick to bring her address book to the airport as he tricks her by coming late & so she comes to his mansion to collect, as Nick plays games with her wanting to eat & drink with her she then storms out & gets knock over by a car. Nick then has her captive in his House & amputates her injured leg & gradually finishes the job off by removing both arms & legs as a statue of sexual desire. By then belonging to him & so gradually she becomes dependant on him. A Brilliant film which does'nt get the credit it deserves the story may be daft but the point the director gets across is brilliantly shot with the fantasy dream visions of his mum is fantastic. I would love to see the movie remade.